More cows feed per metre at the AgBrand Feed Fence, even with a feed position gap of 400mm. Twelve cows on average can fit in the 15 feed positions per 6 metre length and the extra pipework makes for a very strong unit.

Cows seem content & secure when feeding as exampled by the behaviour of a 260 cow Holstein/Friesian herd fed for 6 years at a 130 metre long AgBrand feed fence. On introduction the cows took 90 minutes to eat 5kg of dry matter but the feeding time soon halved to 45 minutes once they settled into their routine. The share milker believes the cows learned that they could not be pushed out of their feeding space and as a consequence ate quicker and quieter with no hassle from herd mates.

If farmers want more feeding room per animal, we can provide the wider Bull Spaced design.

Move the feeder regularly or put it on a metalled area. One farmer in the Manawatu has metalled a little further into his paddock gateways as a permanent place for his feeders, but having a stoney area as in the photo from Westland is ideal.

Yes. Many dairy farmers use a couple of feeders in their races for cows to nibble on hay, straw or silage while moving to & from the milking area. A 650 cow Manawatu dairy farmer uses 8 AgBrand round feeders scattered around the farm race system. The first winter he got an extra months feeding from his stock of big hay bales.

A Hawke’s Bay farmer tells us the S2 Oval feeder holds 4 tonne of apples, onions or potatoes and the cattle eat them all. Just pull out a pin, open one side of the feeder, back the truck up and tip in 4 tonne of crop.

Yes. The odd deer will jump into a AgBrand feeder but they can just as easily jump out. The Red Barns feeders top rail is an effective barrier for keeping deer out. A Southland deer farmer wintered 40 hinds under some macrocarpa trees with a AgBrand rectangular feeder and filled it with 2 bales once every 10 to 14 days.

The feeders are made of galvanised high tensile steel and built to be a strong and durable product that should withstand any pressure from livestock. Pictured is a 7 year old S1 rectangular feeder used for a mob of 25 x 2 year old steers. Still solid and strong with some rust on the bottom plate but good for many more years.

Trials have shown that at least 40% more hay is eaten when a big round bale is put in a feeder. With bulk silage, consumption reduced 50% with no drop in milk production once a AgBrand feed pad was installed.

If a bale in a feeder is going to be eaten in 3 or 4 days then a roof is not required. Cattle will still eat wet hay if it is clean and not fouled. We have a lot of requests for roofs but the advice we give has been honed from farmers that experimented with varied feeder models 20 to 30 years ago. Their advice “roofs are more trouble than they are worth”. If you are in a particularly wet district and a roof is necessary then we will supply it.

Speed of delivery depends on when the order is placed and for what quantity. From September to February we can deliver in less than a week if the order is for no more than four feeders. During the busy March to August period when every farmer wants them yesterday, we attempt to deliver at a weeks notice, but sometimes that is impossible.

Early ordering is a big help.

Freight charges for up to 2 round feeders are $120.00 to the North Island and $200.00 to the South Island.